Supporting rack for toothbrushes



14;, 1946. I H. F. TUCKER 2,409,445 I SUPPORTING RACK FOR TOOTHBRUSHES Filed Feb. 11, 1944- Patented May 14, 1946 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SUPPORTING RACK FOR TOOTHBRUSHES Hartwell F. Tucker, Detroit, Mich- Application February 11, 1944, Serial No. 521,989

7 3 Claims. (Cl. 206-151) This invention relates to a sanitary supporting rack for toothbrushes.

It is the object of the invention to provide a receptacle for the support of toothbrushes, which maintains the bristles in sanitary condition while the brushes are not being used, and to permit an effective drying of the bristles without exposing them to splashing of water or the deposit of dust upon them. Preferably this toothbrush rack should maintain the bristles out of contact with the rack in order to attain the sanitary features of the present invention even when the brush is aries thereof to induce a drainage of any water that may be left on the toothbrushes when they are supported on the cutout shoulders 24. The brushes are introduced through the opening 22 and are supported on the shoulders at the notches 24 for the brushes. The supporting surface of rack 2| may bedivided by lines 3|, to delineate the separate brush sections 30, and these sections may be colored in distinctive colors to more clearly identify the respective brushes in the rack.

Also the support of the hood on the base frame 7 is rendered more secure by the provision of a rabbeted joint which results in an interengagement of the parts, as is clearly shown in Fig. 3 at 23.

The advantageous features of the rack may be realized for the support of toothbrushes of all 33 of Fig. 2 of the base of the rack with the hooded enclosure thereover.

The rack in accordance with the present invention is shown in Figs. 1 and 2 as mounted on a wall retainer H! by means of a bracket 20 which is slidable thereover in a dovetail relationship. If desired, the bracket may be built in directly into the wall W. The rack 2| extends from the bracket 20 in a horizontal plane and may be formed of any suitable material such as metal or plastic. While this rack is shown of circular configuration, this is not essential to the realization of the invention. In the preferred embodiment the rack base 2| is of annular formation, having a centralopening 121 through which the brushes are inserted or taken out of the rack.

A seat 23 is formed in the upper external surface of the annular rack 2| for the reception of a dome or hood enclosure which is preferably transparent, or at least'translucent, and which may be formed of suitable plastic material. This dome is preferably detachable to facilitate a cleaning of the assembly and is provided with air vents 26 to induce a circulation of air through the central opening 22 thereof, in order to attain an effective drying of the bristles of the toothbrushes which are supported in cutouts 24 distributed on the interior of the annular rack 2|. As shown in the sectional view of Fig. 3, the annular rack 2! is tapered from the outer to the inner boundtypes.

While I have described my invention as embodied in a specific form and as operating in a specific manner for purposes of illustration, it should be understood that I donot limit my invention thereto, since various modifications will suggest themselves to those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of my invention, the scope of which is set forth in the annexed claims.

Iclaim:

1. A rack for toothbrushes comprising a closed base frame having a central opening and a plurality of brush supporting notches at the inner margin of said base frame and communicating with said opening, and a Protective hood mounted on the outer margin of said base frame and surrounding said brush supporting notches, said base frame having the top surface thereof inclined downwardly from the outer margin thereof to said central opening.

2. A rack for toothbrushes comprising an annular base frame having a central opening and a plurality of brush supporting notches at the inner margin of said base frame and communi eating with said opening, and a transparent protective hood detachably mounted on said base frame and surrounding said brush supporting notches, said base frame having the top surface thereof inclined'downwardly from the outer margin thereof to said central opening and comprising a plurality of sectors each colored differently from the next adjacent one, and each sector containing one of said notches centrally positioned therein, to permit the selective support of each individual toothbrush at a distinctively colored sector adapted to be viewed from the outside of said protective hood.

3. A rack for toothbrushes comprising an annular base frame having a central opening and a plurality of brush supporting notches at the inner margin of said base frame and communicating with said openin a protective hood mounted on the outer margin of said base frame and surrounding said brush supporting notches having a ventilating opening in said hood cooperating with the central opening in said base frame for inducing currents of air through said rack to attain an effective ventilation of the space enclosed by said hood and surrounding the bristles of the toothbrushes, and said base frame having the top surface thereof inclined downwardly from the outer margin thereof to said central opening.

HARTWELL F. TUCKER. 

